Grape Seed Extract Fractionation With Membrane Filtration and Gentle Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing grape seed extracts are not scalable, economically viable, and pose safety and environmental hazards due to the use of toxic solvents and hazardous techniques, failing to produce compositions with high monomer, oligomer, or polymer content and desired astringency and flavor characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing sequential membrane filtration, adsorption-elution purification, and refractance window drying to produce grape seed extracts with controlled polymerization levels, using water and ethanol, and avoiding toxic solvents, enabling the production of high monomer, oligomer, or high polymer compositions with varying astringency and flavor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional extraction methods using hazardous solvents are used, then extraction efficiency is improved, but safety and environmental sustainability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the extraction system by replacing hazardous organic solvents with water and food-grade ethanol. This parameter substitution maintains extraction efficiency while eliminating safety hazards and environmental concerns associated with conventional solvents like methylene chloride and hexane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs readily available, non-toxic solvents (water and ethanol) that can be easily disposed of or recycled without special handling requirements. These substitutes eliminate the need for expensive safety infrastructure and waste treatment systems required for hazardous solvents.
2Productivity
If high energy consumption processes are used for extraction and drying, then production capacity is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition properties of water and ethanol during drying. By controlling temperature and pressure to facilitate evaporation and phase change, the process achieves efficient moisture removal without requiring excessive energy input, thereby maintaining production capacity while improving energy efficiency.
3Device complexity
If single-stage filtration is used, then process simplicity is improved, but separation precision of monomers, oligomers, and polymers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the filtration process into multiple sequential stages, each with specific molecular weight cutoff membranes. This segmentation allows progressive separation of grape seed extract components by molecular size, achieving precise separation of monomers, oligomers, and polymers while maintaining a relatively simple overall process structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces molecular weight as an additional separation dimension by using membranes with different molecular weight cutoffs. This dimensional approach enables simultaneous separation of multiple polymer size ranges in a sequential filtration process, achieving high precision without requiring complex multi-parameter control systems.
4Speed
If traditional drying methods are used, then drying speed is improved, but product quality and polymer composition control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary concentration and pre-drying steps before final drying. By gradually removing water and adjusting the physical state of the material beforehand, the process enables better control over polymer composition and mean degree of polymerization while maintaining efficient overall drying speed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method and system enable the production of unique grape seed extracts with controlled polymerization levels, providing health benefits and improved safety and environmental sustainability by eliminating explosion hazards and reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
filtering the grape seed extract source material comprises using an ultrafiltration filter having a molecular weight cutoff from about 80,000 Daltons to about 200,000 Daltons
Implementation Method 2
drying at least one of the first retentate, the second retentate, or the purified liquid comprises using a refractance window dryer
Implementation Method 3
purifying the second permeate comprises performing an adsorption-elution process to remove sugar and organic acid from the second permeate
Data Source
AI summary
Grape seed extract compositions and related systems and methods for manufacture are provided. The methods can include obtaining a grape seed extract source material; filtering the grape seed extract source material to obtain a first retentate and a first permeate; drying the first retentate to obtain a first grape seed extract having a first mean degree of polymerization; filtering the first permeate to obtain a second retentate and a second permeate; drying the second retentate to obtain a second grape seed extract having a second mean degree of polymerization less than the first mean degree of polymerization; purifying the second permeate to obtain a purified liquid; and drying the purified liquid to obtain a third grape seed extract having a third mean degree of polymerization less than the second mean degree of polymerization.